The Bean-Woman sang, it is said, “Who shall marry me again? Let him ask me in marriage.” The Panther-Man, answering this challenge, said: “I will marry you if you will accept me for your husband.” Pausing in her singing, the Bean-Woman asked: “If I marry you what shall be the food which I shall regularly receive from you to eat?” The Panther-Man replied: “You shall always have meat in great plenty to eat.” The Bean-Woman answered: “In that case it is very probable I should die, for I do not eat that kind of food under any circumstances.”
Thereupon the Bean-Woman resumed her singing: “Who will marry me again? Is there one who is willing to marry me again? If so, let him ask me.” Then the Deer-Man approached the Bean-Woman and said: “I will marry you if you will accept me for your husband.” The Bean-Woman asked him: “What food will you regularly provide for me to eat?” The Deer-Man replied: “Browse and buds and the tender bark of trees, for these are the things which I regularly eat.” The Bean-Woman answered: “Such a marriage would not bring good fortune to me, because I have never eaten that kind of food.” So the Deer-Man departed.
Then the Bean-Woman resumed her song: “Is there not some one who is willing to marry me? If there be, let him ask me.” As she sang she heard the Bear-Man say to her: “I will marry you if you will accept me.” Whereupon she asked him: “What kind of food will you regularly provide for me to eat?” He replied: “I will provide you with nuts of various kinds, for even now I have many bark receptacles filled with nuts for food.” The Bean-Woman replied: “In this event I should most certainly die, for I have never [[649]]been in the habit of eating that kind of food; so I can not accept you.”
Without feeling disappointed she resumed her singing: “Is there not some one who will marry me again? If so, let him ask me.” Then the Wolf-Man approached her, saying: “I am willing to marry you if you will accept me.” Once again the Bean-Woman asked: “If I should marry you what kind of food would you regularly provide for me to eat?” The Wolf-Man answered: “I will provide you with meat and venison.” At this the Bean-Woman said with scorn: “It is, indeed, quite proper for you to offer me meat and venison for food, but I have never had the desire to eat meat which has been stolen.” Thereupon the Wolf-Man departed.
The Bean-Woman resumed singing, as before: “Is there any one who is willing to marry me again? If there is, then let him ask me.” Then the Corn-Man, drawing near, said: “I am willing to marry you if you will accept me.” In reply she asked: “If I should marry you what will you give me for my regular food?” The Corn-Man’s answer was: “You shall have sweet corn to eat at all times.” In reply the Bean-Woman said: “I pray that it may so come to pass. I am, indeed, thankful for this offer, for it is a well-known fact that I am in need of it.” When the Corn-Man had heard her answer, he said to her: “Come to me.” Rushing forward, she threw her arms around his neck and embraced him, saying: “This is, indeed, a condition established by Him who sent us, by Him who created our bodies, beginning with the time when the earth was new.” They dwelt together contented and happy.
This is the reason that the bean vine is at all times found entwined around the cornstalk.
124. The Legend of Onenha (the Corn)
The event related in the following legend came to pass in ancient times in the land inhabited by the Tuscarora; and Corn-Woman herself declared this event to men.
In that ancient time there lived in that land a man who was alone, and who had no kindred or friends in that place. He became very ill; so ill that he was no longer able to leave his mat on the couch. Of course there was no fire in his abode for he was unable to obtain fuel to keep a fire burning; besides there was nothing for him to eat. He began to be very sorrowful, expressing his grief thus: “Verily, I have become poor and miserable indeed. I am hungry, too, and, perhaps, I shall die by starvation.”